Haring Wati

Haring Wati (King Earthworm) is the idiosyncratic and eccentric king of Saksaksinagol.com, but before anything else, he is many things rolled into one. He writes for pleasure and incidentally makes a living out of it. He is die-hard Cebuano. He is also known as Elmer Montejo.

With the Holy Week just around the bend, we find it opportune to offer incense starter kits for those who burn incense for prayer, particularly those who are just starting the practice. These are sold in sets. Items are not sold individually. These items are hard to find — if ever — here in Cebu or in the Philippines. Stocks for these are limited.

Incense Starter Set A

This set includes the following:

Basic Incense Burner Cup

made of brass

includes brass screen

2.5 in. diameter, 2.5 in. height

decorative etching

free trivet

Pontifical Incense Blend (1/2 oz) – Pontifical Incense Blend brings together frankincense, myrrh, aromatic herbs and spices, and essential oils to create the traditional incense scent common in many of Vatican City’s churches, cathedrals, shrines, and basilicas. It exudes a bright and sweet aroma, with hints of spice and mild florals. This mix of loose grains is of top-notch quality, perfect for use at High Mass or private prayer.

Petrus Incense Blend (1/2 oz) — If the mix of pure frankincense and pure myrrh is the base of all blends — the fundamental, classic blend — then Petrus takes the fundamental blend a few notches higher. This ancient recipe brings together frankincense, myrrh, and benzoin granules (in black, red, and natural colors) to create a clean, crisp, and strong scent suffused with floral notes. It is perfect for silent meditation, daily Mass, or private prayer.

Sweet East African Frankincense (1/2 oz) — This comes as small-size grains or tears imported from Eastern Africa. Being of natural origin, it burns very cleanly and does not leave any molten residue or charred leftovers long after it has released its lingering, vivid, and fluid lemony aroma with hints of evergreen. Pure frankincense resin was treasured especially by Coptic Christians in East Africa, by the Byzantine Empire, and nearly all of Christendom. This can be burned alone, with myrrh, or in a blend/mix and is perfect for prayers at any time of the day or night.

Pure Somali Myrrh (1/2 oz) — This type of myrrh produces a clear, subdued, earthy-watery scent with faint notes of dried leaves crushed after being soaked in the rain. The very clear, fluid, and smooth aroma sometines transitions into a soft bitter, woody scent before ending in the plain scent of slow-burning wood. It does not irritate the eyes or nose. Like pure frankincense, Pure Somali Myrrh can be burned alone, although the practice is not very common. It is best burned with frankincense or in a blend/mix. The relaxing scent of myrrh when burned alone makes it perfect for meditation, quiet reflection, and private prayer.

One click of a mouse or cell phone button. That’s all the effort it will take for useful information to be sent to many. That’s also the same amount of effort to send misinformation to many. Welcome to the world of viral communication brought about by information technology.

Information technology is a double-edged sword. In the hands of a vigilant and thinking user, it can be used to virally spread inspiration, hope, healing, and timely and accurate information. In the hands of morons—of which there are countless here in Cebu, the Philippines, and, as a matter of fact, the whole world—it can be the Sword of Destruction. For fairness’ sake, most of those morons are well-meaning—but morons just the same. (Why? You actually think good intention is the precondition to being not a moron?)

In good times and bad times, try not to help spread rumors, speculations, and misinformation by thinking critically (and, if possible, by verifying your sources of information) before you press that button. Especially in times of catastrophe—whether immediate to you or not—avoid further agitating people’s fears, or stoking the flames of panic that can often be more disastrous than the disaster itself.

You do have a cell phone, don’t you? You’re on unlimited text/call subscription, aren’t you? You do have access to email and the Internet for sure (because you’re reading this rant online). You’re using information technology right now. And the Sword is in your hands. Wield and use it to build and heal, rather than to sow chaos, panic, and destruction.

For those who have unknowingly forwarded rumors about the Japan quake (particularly about the valid scare about radioactive materials reaching Philippine shores via wind or water), here’s something you can virally spread via social networking sites, text messages, email, and the like:

National Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (RADPLAN) (downloadable as a PDF file; about 1.1 MB). This document has been prepared by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). It is a mirror copy of the one from http://www.pnri.dost.gov.ph/documents/radplan.pdf, which takes centuries to download.

The document contains answers to common questions related to nuclear emergencies such as the following:

What is a radiation-related emergency or radiological emergency?

What are the different types of radiological emergencies?

What are the levels of radiological emergencies?

What is a radiation-related emergency or radiological emergency?

What organizations will be involved in a national radiological emergency response?

How will the operations in a national emergency be managed?

What should the public do in case of radiation-related emergencies

Feel free to forward this public document to as many people as you can. Avoid downloading the PDF file from the PNRI website in order to take load off its servers.

(Special thanks to Dave Bargamento for the huge help in retrieving this document.)

Christmas is NOT about peace, justice, forgiveness, reconciliation, love.

Christmas is NOT about gifts.

Christmas is NOT about family.

Christmas is NOT about partying with friends.

Christmas is NOT about children or the children-at-heart.

What, then, is Christmas all about?

Or, the better question would be, WHOM is Christmas all about?

Christmas is all about a newborn child, a specific kid—not kids in general.

Christmas is about that boy, whose nanay and tatay were refused accommodation in the inns.

Christmas is about that boy, born in a stable, wrapped in cloths used by commoners.

Christmas is about that boy, whose birth was witnessed by animals.

Christmas is about that boy, whose birth was the cause of angels’ partying.

Christmas is about that boy, whose first human visitors were common folk—shepherds, to be precise.

Christmas is about that boy, whose birthplace was pointed to by a brilliant star.

Christmas is about that boy, who was worshipped like a king by three star-studying scholars from distant lands.

Christmas is about that boy, who was the target of a shoot-to-kill manhunt ordered by a jealous king.

You would think that Christmas is about joy and laughter. You are wrong. Christmas is about humiliation, self-humiliation of a God who had to take on human flesh in order to carry out a salvific plan. The humiliation of Christmas is the direct contrast of the exaltation and victory of Easter. Yet, one cannot exist without the other, and both are inextricable threads of the whole salvation story.

What, then, is Christmas all about?

Or, the better question would be, WHOM is Christmas all about?

Once you realize the answer, you will discover many of your Christmas rituals and activities meaningless, until you bring Christ back into Christ-mas.

No blood rushes to my face,
nor my heart skips one beat,
when you touch me with
the giggled touch
of a teenage schoolgirl
bemused by fancy things.

The gentle brush of your skin,
the soft pinch of pale corals that are your fingers,
upon my once unfeeling arm,
doesn’t redden my cheeks
as the sun would on clear days.

Only the muted urge, restrained and unleashed,
of longing and desire
overcomes me,
ties me to the stake,
fans the flames,
and burns me alive with that ancient invisible fire,
as if I were dry wood
upon the altar of sacrificial adoration.

Your innocent touch, unknowing and sincere,
warms the lifeless heart that cools
the night breeze blowing quietly
upon this balcony
carrying with it the scent of melted cheese,
of cigarette smoke,
and of the hope of relief
into oblivion.

It is torment. But, touch me again like that.
Perhaps, this time, my blood will flow
through my veins again.

Tonight I kiss you with my eyes
whose gaze you meet so fleetingly
and briefly, just enough time
for them to utter
a wordless “I love you.”

Tonight I kiss you with my eyes
peering through unblinded windows
to that other world within you
where you hide a scared and lonely child.

Tonight I kiss you with my eyes
tenderly as a butterfly kisses the wings of a flower,
gently as the morning sunbeam comes in through my window,
and you held me there enraptured
in heavenly bliss amidst chaotic existence.

Tonight I kiss you repeatedly with my eyes,
and repeatedly you never kissed back.

(Inspired by #4 Cheese, a plastic cup half-full with peppered water, lined yellow paper with doodles, a shirt with print that makes it look like sleepwear, and Sara Teasdale)

The drought arrived
when I heard the last sound of your fading footsteps
as I licked the last drop of alcohol on my cracked lips.
The dry emptiness of your leaving
left me with withered balloons,
glitter and confetti on the floor,
empty shot glasses,
empty table,
your vacant chair,
while I alone sit on mine,
with the party hat still on my crown.

I drink no more. I drink no more.
For the alcohol that once caused my heart to party
is now dried up.